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Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

(0.375l, 40%)


7.8/10
Price:
$22.99
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Straight Bourbon from an ancient rule-breaking recipe.
 
The Haydens were God-fearing pilgrims that moved to the Land of the Free in the 1660s. One of their descendants was Basil Hayden, an innovative Master Distiller who one day in 1796 decided the traditional corn-based mash bill for the Bourb' should contain some rye. His bold move paid off as the tippling folks were absolutely crazy about the novelty, changing the course of Bourbon history forever. Doc Brown to 1992, when Jim Beam introduced their small batch collection of four Bourbons, naming one of them Basil Hayden's. The modern iteration uses a mash bill similar to the one Basil came up with back in the day.
 
This rye-forward Bourbon is bottled at 40% ABV and it brings an explosion of spice, balanced by herbal notes of peppermint and a hint of fruit. The bottle used to say it's an 8-year-old Bourbon, but now it just says "Artfully Aged", which means uncle Basil doesn't want us asking his age. It's impolite, we suppose. In any case, every drop of Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon is distilled in Clermont, KY, and a wonderful testament to rule-breakers who either don't know the laws of the Old Guard or simply don't give a darn. Its lightness makes it a lovely daily sipper, while every Old Fashioned is better with it.
  • Category
    Bourbon
  • Style
    Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Region
    Kentucky
  • Country
    United States
  • Alcohol
    40%
  • Distillery
    Jim Beam Distillery
  • Age
    NAS

Flavor Spiral™

About The Flavor Spiral

Close
spicy
herbs
tea
nint
rye
dry
vanilla
fruit
corn
What does Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey taste like?

The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.

We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
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Bourbon was declared "The Official Spirit of America" by an Act of Congress signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Tasting Notes
Appearance / Color
Deep copper
 
Nose / Aroma / Smell
Spices on the nose with hints of tea and peppermint.
 
Flavor / Taste / Palate
Spicy nose translates to flavors that are light-bodied with a gentle bite.
 
Finish
Short, dry and clean finish.

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Ratings & Reviews
Member Reviews and Ratings of Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Anthony
Anthony,
Smooth sipper to keep in the rotation.
 
MARK
MARK,
Always perfect to the taste with a smooth finish
 
Vincent
Vincent,
Good entry level. Second behind Buffalo Trace for me at this level/price
 
Joe
Joe,
Nice spice and smooth
 
Kenneth
Kenneth,
Great sippin' bourbon. Could become my new everyday sipper.
 
John
John,
Rough, but not the absolute bottom
 
Sean
Sean,
Love this! Smooth with a nice candy bite...reminds me a bit of a more flavorful Jamesons.
 
Ivo
Ivo,
This was my gateway into bourbon. Enjoyable drink. Add some ice and notice a sweet treat.
 
Kristin
Kristin,
Honestly not great to me. Easy enough to drink but definitely steers away from traditional bourbon notes in my opinion. I think it’s the heavy bitterness and tea notes in the front and the weak finish in the back.
 
Matthew
Matthew,
Its not a bad entry level bourbon but I don't recommend it for the price. There are far better Bourbons that are cheaper than this. This has got heat to it but lacks flavor so it is sort of just heat. I'll probably use the rest of this bottle for cocktails just to get rid of it.
 
Kristopher
Kristopher,
The bourbon that started my journey. My boss bought me a shot of this 9 years ago and opened my eyes to the world of bourbon. Smooth and sweet vanilla tones. Easy drinker. Perfect for any occasion and doesn’t break the bank. Can’t go wrong.
 
Ben
Ben,
Sweet, brown sugar, molasses, slight spice
 
Michael
Michael,
Lots of spice on the nose. Pretty smooth sipper but not a finish is quick with little flavor after the sip.
 
Jeffrey
Jeffrey,
The least offensive whiskey I have had. It is what I would recommend non whiskey drinkers try to introduce them to whiskey/bourbon, but not one I would recommend to a seasoned whiskey drinker. Because it's so mild and inoffensive, I used the rest of the bottle as the base for my infinity bottle, and to use up the rest of it.
 
Johnathan
Johnathan,
My absolute favorite so far...
 
guest
guest,
Don’t need it again. Sweet fore. Bitter when you knock the rest back.
 
Rich
Rich,
Fantastic sipping whiskey.
 
guest
guest,
Heavy butterscotch vibes here with a burnt sugar finish. Pretty sweet.
 
Alex
Alex,
My introduction to anything above bottom shelf bourbon used for shots. It got me hooked right away. Smooth and easy to drink
 
Brian
Brian,
Like to make Old Fashioned's from this.
 
Jerry
Jerry,
Good bourbon with heat Rye spice flavor. Good for drinks or sipping.
 
James
James,
This is my second favorite so far.
 
Arnaldo
Arnaldo,
Nice smooth daily drinking blend
 
Paul
Paul,
Spicy and, based on the flavor spiral, I think the aroma is tea. Good sippin.
 
Scott
Scott,
The finest from only the finest region. If you go to the Derby, they might be serving another brand, but any local will tell you "get a Basil." Smooth and drinkable neat
 
Grant
Grant,
Excellent bourbon for the price. Very smooth with well-balanced hints of spice. A go-to for sipping neat
 
Phillip
Phillip,
Really smooth, nice finish.
 
Christopher
Christopher,
My go to even if Blanton’s is on the menu. Strong flavor and goes down smooth. Great for sipping.
 
JOSHUA
JOSHUA,
For my money, this is my favorite after-a-long-day-at-work whiskey.
 
Raye
Raye,
Best mellowed with ice for sipping. Too spicy for some cocktails
 
Robinson
Robinson,
Great beginner bourbon! It has a nice subtle herbaceous flavor and goes well with any mixer. You can't beat it.
 
Jeff
Jeff,
Love it, nice sipper.
 
Matthew
Matthew,
Smooth easy drinking and priced low. Perfect for beginner bourbon drinkers.
 
Justin
Justin,
Favorite go to whiskey
 
Norma
Norma,
Nice. Went down smooth.
 
Rick
Rick,
A little spicy, which is nice. Definitely kicks in the back of the mouth with a light burn.
 
Jake
Jake,
The first bourbon that I could drink neat because it lacks strength and flavor. No burn or noticeable aftertaste.
 
John
John,
Smooth sipping whiskey!
 
John
John,
Nice flavor, expensive
 
Tim
Tim,
Lovely carmel-oak nose with a bit of green apple. Full-bodied. A tiny bit of the green apple comes through. Strong spice and a hint of leather. Warming. Residual toasted oak and lingering heat on the finish. A nice powerhouse.
 
Patrick
Patrick,
Mellow sweeten with a spicy but not overwhelming finish
 
Christopher
Christopher,
Made this scotch drinker get into bourbon. Smooth with a round finish without the harshness some bourbons have. The rye spice is very present, but is balanced out with sweetness. Smooth, pleasantly spiced by the rye, and finishes sweet, almost like a sweet tea.
 
Matthew
Matthew,
Amazingly smooth bourbon, rivals Blanton's at a fraction of the cost
 
Matthew
Matthew,
Great bourbon, but with the herbal rye flavor that rye fans love. It's a great balance between bourbon and rye and mixes well in Manhattans or Old Fashioneds.
 
Brian
Brian,
Could be me, but I didn’t care for it.
 
Stuart
Stuart,
Great bourbon.
 
Bryce
Bryce,
While i don't consider Basil's the "best" Bourbon you can get it is still my current favorite. Its a great value for a good, classic Kentucky Bourbon as it should be. delicious and easy to drink, on the rocks or in mixes. I have even used this bottle to convert over more than one Scotch fans to Bourbon! X)
 
Eric
Eric,
Very smooth, some spice to it.
 
Douglas
Douglas,
Wanted to like this. Good nose, but surprisingly thin. A strange sensation; there was nearly no flavor nor aftertaste. Although smooth for this price point, absolutely no character.
 
Pamela
Pamela,
Love it! Started my bourbon kick.
 
David
David,
Smooth
 
guest
guest,
Nice and smooth. Good bourbon to introduce friends to.
 
Edward
Edward,
This is my go to bourbon. Smooth with a slight cinnamon finish
 
John
John,
excellent flavor
 
guest
guest,
Smooth with a slight spice. Good all around bourbon
 
Matt
Matt,
Smooth. The flavor spiral is on point with this one.
 
Nick
Nick,
my favorite burbon
 
Jessica
Jessica,
Least favorite in the Star Spangled Bourbon tasting kit. Definitely smooth and glad I've checked it off the bucket list. Other than that nothing to really remember it by with the taste or the nose.
 
Greg
Greg,
Good taste
 
Brandon
Brandon,
Spicy herb flavor, super smooth, very gentle on the palate. Nice for the price, would recommend a dram.
 
Nathan
Nathan,
Love it! very smooth!
 
Dustin
Dustin,
I consider this the everyday good pour
 
Kent
Kent,
Love it. Super smooth and tasty
 
Jason
Jason,
Very nice, mellow sipper. buying another bottle.
 
Ikaika
Ikaika,
Wonderful flavor. Not too strong, smooth and delightful
 
guest
guest,
Slightly sweet nose; very smooth with sweet oaky caramel flavor. Almost no spice. Nice to drink neat
 
Aaron
Aaron,
Caramel, fruit. But a little to floral
 
Anthony
Anthony,
Always some of the best bang for the buck. A staple.
 
Lee
Lee,
Great everyday whiskey
 
Sergio
Sergio,
Very smooth and not over powering of flavors. It's a drink on any day kinda drink.
 
Steve
Steve,
One of my go-to bourbons, great in an Old Fashioned or on the rocks.
 
Keith
Keith,
This is my absolute favorite Bourbon.....so far..
 
Alex
Alex,
Smooth and easy drinking
 
Westberg
Westberg,
My all-time favorite
 
Brandon
Brandon,
2 stars only for the rich history. They aged it just long enough to get some color in it. Needs age or at least the solera process to give it some complexity that doesn't beg for a stack of ice cubes.
 
William
William,
sharp harsh unrefined flavour
 
james
james,
for the price i thought this was a very good start to bourbon. it was smooth and good strait and on the rock. i would definitely buy it again.
 
guest
guest,
Very smooth as an introduction to bourbon and a all around favorite for a bar. Drink neat or on the rocks. Can’t go wrong with this bottle in your personal bar
 
Omar
Omar,
Smooth
 
Eric
Eric,
Very smooth and very clean... a bit to smooth for my taste as I prefer more bite on the finish
 
Andrew
Andrew,
It’s a strong, great tasting bourbon. However, the aftertaste won’t burn. It goes down smooth and you can taste the corn, cinnamon, and caramel notes
 
Ben
Ben,
Smooth but lacking depth.
 
Aaron
Aaron,
Smoothest bourbon I’ve found for the price.
 
Clint
Clint,
Smooth and subtle.
 
Michael
Michael,
Corn on the nose. Smooth finish but unpleasant spice. Don’t like bourbon it seems.
 
David
David,
I am usually a bit cheap I passes this up for a cheaper bottle, then I saw it at the bar and wondered what I could have had. I ordered a double on the rocks and that's when the regret set in. So smooth so clean and worth every cent!
 
Greg
Greg,
Seriously bland. I was expecting so much more.
 
Clay
Clay,
Smooth
 
Aaron
Aaron,
Smooth and a bit sweet. Great on rocks or as old fashioned
 
David
David,
Bit of a kick. Alittle rough neat but still quite flavorful
 
Paul
Paul,
very easy to drink. hints of sweet flavors.
 
guest
guest,
Kick. Smoother when watered down
 
Zach
Zach,
It’s tasty, but nothing mind blowing. Definitely worth the cost, however. Can definitely get much better for a few bucks more.
 
Chris
Chris,
Sweeter than the spiral says but for a lower price range bourbon it is a solid choice.
 
Matthew
Matthew,
Average, not a lot of complexity to the whiskey.
 
JOHN
JOHN,
my preferred go to bourbon
 
Shannon
Shannon,
My go to bourbon.
 
guest
guest,
Surprisingly smooth due to the port mixture, very easy to drink neat.
 
guest
guest,
Spicy, not as much sweetness as I’d like, but overall easy to drink.
 
Eric
Eric,
Nice and smooth. Good go to in my book.
 
Evan
Evan,
High on spice but not much else. Rather body less, lacks the sweet vanilla and caramel flavors possessed by a good bourbon
 
Alex
Alex,
An essential of bourbon, a classic! Spicy, balances, what’s not to like?
 
Mark
Mark,
Nice easy drink. Dropped the rating as nothing stands out.
 
guest
guest,
Tea and peppermint
 
Sally
Sally,
I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this, but I think I found my new favorite bourbon! Crisp, flavorful yet light.
 
James
James,
You won’t find a more reasonably priced high quality bourbon!
 
Brandon
Brandon,
Great go to in my book. Can’t go wrong with some basil!
 
guest
guest,
This has a sweet first taste and a very mild spicy finish
 
Kian
Kian,
Wonderful Nose, however tastes pretty average considering how much it’s priced for.
 
Alexandra
Alexandra,
Sweet and light, with light Smokey undertones. An excellent low-cost bourbon for sipping.
 
Paul
Paul,
A very smooth bourbon!
 
Corey
Corey,
Best “cheap” bourbon you can buy. Great straight, on the rocks or mixed.
 
Keven
Keven,
I have tried quite a few spirits, and this is easily in my top 3 choices.
 
Jason
Jason,
Very easy to drink casually. Smooth and slightly sweet, but with the right amount of kick at the end.
 
Luke
Luke,
My everyday go to
 
Leah
Leah,
Fairly smooth, but good bit of burn. Too spicy for me, but probably something a rye lover would enjoy.
 
Gary
Gary,
A smooth bourbon for a cheap price
 
Luis
Luis,
Very pleasant, if underwhelming. Solid notes of vanilla and maple, with a charcoal bite... but very soft and delicate on the tongue.
 
James
James,
Very smooth. I just got it, so I'll add more later
 
Thomas
Thomas,
Smooth and clean, start to finish. Very mild yet full of flavor.
 
Dalton
Dalton,
Very smooth!!
 
DUELLYN
DUELLYN,
Good buy and a great bourbon 🥃
 
Chris
Chris,
Good bourbon if you like rye. I really enjoy it.
 
guest
guest,
Great whiskey at a good price! Cheers!
 
Nick
Nick,
Earlier just this spring is when I had my first, shall we say, academic experience with bourbon. I enjoyed a tour and tasting at Woodford Reserve and our wonderful guide explained the bourbon flavor wheel. As we downed our first tast, the guide explained that it was the rye that gave the bourbon that signature spice. It was at this moment that I first thought "Well, since I'm not a real man, I shall henceforth avoid all high rye bourbons and rye whiskey." If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the whiskey. I am here today to confess my sins and admit that I am, in fact, a total boob. I had a conversation with Basil Hayden and he showed me the error of my ways. Thanks to the lower proof, the nose is light with barely any scent of alcohol, but barely any scent of much else either. There is evidence of woody oak, tea, and faint hits of chocolate. The mouth feel is light and thin but oily enough to not feel dry. There is a taste of sweet honey and light vanilla with sweet fruit of undetermined origin on the front of the tongue. In the back of the mouth before the swallow is a pleasant spice to remind you of the higher rye content. The finish is short, crisp, and warm with continued pepper, oak, and if you look closely, leather. A higher proof may have provided more complex flavor, but if an approachable, introductory high rye bourbon is what you seek, Basil Hayden's is the answer.
 
Michael
Michael,
Wish I would have known it was a half size bottle, this club is starting to disappoint big time. The drink is decent
 
Harry
Harry,
good, every day, smooth flavorful bourbon. Easy to find, easy on the wallet and another must have in the bar.
 
Luke
Luke,
Astringent, but weak. Disappointed.
 
Alan
Alan,
It really is smooth. Will have to have more.
 
guest
guest,
Smooth
 
Shawn
Shawn,
A little spiciness to it. finishes smooth
 
Robert
Robert,
A "go to" bourbon when I'm willing to splurge
 
John
John,
Just buy Fireball and save the money
 
Daniel
Daniel,
I found this bottle of Basil Hayden to be one of the best purchases I have a bought since I’ve been buying from you. It is very smooth, great tasting and the price was right. All whom I’ve shared this bottle with have agreed with me the quality of this product is worth twenty stars. look forward to my next purchase of Basil Hayden. Thank you
 
Nick
Nick,
Love it
 
Nathan
Nathan,
Good standard bourbon
 
Jason
Jason,
Very smooth start, with just a enough bite at the end to make you want more. Good sipping bourbon
 
James
James,
smooth and spicy without the heat because it's only 80 proof. Easy to drink.
 
Mathew
Mathew,
Very good. Smooth with little bite.
 
Craig
Craig,
I do like rye-forward bourbons and this is a good one. It's smooth with a moderate spiciness. A pleasant sipper, but not a great finish, and not as much punch as I like.
 
Todd
Todd,
Currently, second only to Woodford Reserved Dbl Oaked for a mid-shelf sip-all-night neat.
 
Michael
Michael,
solid sipper. a bit spicy
 
Alexander
Alexander,
One of my favorites for a local pickup, or to grab when out at a bar or dinner. Smooth, simple, nice finish. Great for anyone new to the bourbon game.
 
JeRay
JeRay,
This Basil is mouth watering. Just the right amount of smooth and strong. Yes a grown man drink. I didn't want to open the bottle because it looks so cool or to cool to open lol
 
Jernique
Jernique,
I loved it!
 
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